Hello Stranger
by Pumpkin and Squash
Summary: Harry Potter lives a dull existence. On the eve of his suicide he meets someone and his world is turned upside down. But is his new lover all that she seems? And will she cause Harry to become truly free, or to spiral further downwards? AU universe. R&R P
1. And the Hero Will Drown

**Disclaimer:** Pumpkin (that's Beaumontrulz) and Squash (that's hids) do not own anything remotely associated to Harry Potter and his magical friends.

**A/N:** This is R. It deals with some pretty heavy issues. So yeah, we warned you. Oh and if you want to add any ideas just press the happy review button and type away!

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**HELLO STRANGER**

Chapter One: And the Hero Will Drown

Harry Potter lived a dull, mundane existence.

It was a simple fact he couldn't ignore. He was stuck in a rut of boringness that seemed to seep into every single aspect of his life. At first glance he seemed to have it all. A high positioned well paying job at the Ministry of Magic, a lavish penthouse in London and his calendar was constantly filled with gala events, dates with countless women and nights out with the lads. In truth however if he wasn't so stressed out with work there would've been the possibility that the Boy Who Lived would have most likely shot himself a long time ago.

Yes he was depressed. And rightfully so. He didn't seem to enjoy any aspect in his life. Oh he tried very hard to see the silver lining, he truly did. It's just that no matter what, no matter how hard he tried he couldn't muster the strength to pretend. He just couldn't lie to himself.

So once again he was on another date, miserable as ever. The woman (Cho he thought her name was) was beautiful, successful, charming and lovely enough. But she didn't even get Harry remotely excited. So he sat there, sipping his wine listening to her attempt small talk with him. The date seemed to drag on tediously as if some higher power purposely wanted Harry to die a slow, boredom inflicted death.

"I'm sorry Harry," she said finally, rising from her seat sounding quite crushed, "I can see that you're clearly bored. I should just leave now before I embarrass myself further."

Harry shook his head feebly, "No please stay Cho. You're not boring me at all"

However his attempt to make her stay was quite pathetic and feeble, and after a hefty debate about the bill she left even more embarrassed and pissed off. Harry ordered another bottle of wine, drowned it down within a few mere moments and left the restaurant.

The icy London weather hit him and Harry tugged on the collar on his overcoat. The wine hit him suddenly, causing him to stumble onto the road. Drunkenly he staggered down the road forgetting about the car he parked outside the restaurant. His head was swimming and he couldn't keep his balance. It was as if his body was giving up on him. Even worse his eyesight, which were already bad enough, seemed to be failing, he couldn't focus or make out anything in front of him. A bright light blinded Harry for a moment as he looked out. Suddenly a car horn beeped at him. Harry, being drunk and all, didn't react quickly enough and the car had to swerve out of the way which in turn made Harry fall backwards and onto the sidewalk.

It was there on the sidewalk he realised that he had just hit rock bottom.

"I'm going to do it tomorrow," he made a vow to himself, "I'm going to end it all tomorrow"

Filled with a twisted new sense of determination inside he slowly pushed himself off the pavement and continued his way down the sidewalk thinking that within hours it would all be over for him.

But first he had to make a quick stop somewhere.

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**A.N:** Well that my friends was the first chapter. Pretty depressing huh? It'll get happier… hopefully. Hehe just joking!! Ok you know the drill. You like, you review, and we shall post a new chapter up!! So press that review button please! 


	2. Stop Falling

Disclaimer: Pumpkin (that's Beaumontrulz) and Squash (that's hids) do not own anything remotely associated to Harry Potter and his magical friends.

adri2000: yeah ... depressing. ok squash was in a depressing mood when she wrote that. lol. hope u like this chpt!

VictoriaM2006: mm yeah. depressing. it'll get less depressing, we promise.

Swett Potter: hmm yeah...u made us think. but i really dont see how who is in the car is relevant. it was just some random guy who was driving and then harry stepped out on2 the road in his drunken state and almost got run over lol. haha i'm sorry but i find that amusing lol. however the rest of it...well that will be explained slowly. we'll find out what he does in the next chpt. oh and voldie is dead. i mean, harry wouldnt be bored if he was alive, would he? lol thx 4 reviewin and ya know i luv ya!

smash-ash: lol yes u r the first reviewer! go u! lol ur special. hugz and cookie dough 4 u (haha u can tell its me, eh? but who is me? mwahahaha! ... um yeah ... its pumpkin lol).

A/N: Hey it's chapter two time! Hope you enjoy it!! This chapter is much longer, so it'll make up for the other one.

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**HELLO STRANGER**

Chapter Two: Stop Falling

Harry didn't quite know how he actually got there but he was now standing there, in his drunken state, debating on whether or not to walk inside.

Where, you ask, was he? He was where any normal man would be on the last night of his life. The cheap pink neon lights, in the shape of a name he couldn't decipher in his stupor, blinded him as he stared up at them in an ill-fated attempt to work out what the sign said. Once he had no more stars flying around his eyes he entered the club to see a sea of barely clad women dancing around the room and a mass of men entranced by them.

Yes folks, he was in a strip club.

Harry sighed and looked around for the bar. He quickly found it and once he had a very large beer he headed straight for the nearest girl, who was also probably the prettiest he vaguely noticed. He sat down in front of her and waited for her to notice him, not sure of how to get her attention. The dancer he chose was a long legged dark haired beauty who at the moment was only wearing a white thong, a white sequined bra, black fishnet stockings, a black and white garter round her shapely right thigh and a pair of black knee high boots. An apron laid on the stage, Harry realised that she was suppose to be some sort of kinky French maid.

Several dancers had offered a lap dance for him but he refused their advances focussing all his attention to the dancer before him. The dancer was gyrating on the pole now causing the bevy of men in the room to want her even more and the handfuls of cash being thrown at her increased. Harry begged to the gods that she would notice him; he had never wanted anything as bad in his life as to have her notice him. When she did finally notice him she was in the process of removing her bra and flashed to the audience when she happened to make eye contact with him. Recognizing him she began to strut over to him, rubbing her hands all over her body and shaking her hips to the hypnotic music in the background. Finally being close enough to him she smiled and leant forward, murmuring seductively in his ear,

"Hello stranger."

Harry didn't know quite how to respond to a welcome like this. She had leant over, giving him full view of her breasts, turning him on very much so. She smiled her perfect smile as she traced his jaw line with her finger,

"First timer?"

He nodded feebly apologizing several times. She just smiled again,

"Just tip me if you like it."

He nodded again and watched, with delight, as the stripper began to dance for him, sliding up and down the pole in front of him and shaking herself in his face. He pulled out a one hundred pound note and slipped it in her thong without thinking as she shook her hips in his face. She grinned as she noticed how much money he just gave her and stepped down to straddle his waist preparing to give him the lap dance of his life. She began to treat his body like a pole, rubbing herself up and down on him and turning around to almost press her breasts into his face.

Harry watched this wonderful spectacle with wide eyes, not really aware of how turned on he was. He pulled yet another one hundred pound bill out of his pocket and slid it into her thong, enjoying himself for the first time in ages. It was only when the stripper's shift was over four hours later did he finally left the club. Without thinking he walked into the side alley of the club, where the staff entrance was. He leant against the wall of the club and waited for the stripper to come out.

When she did, she began to walk away from him, not noticing who he was. So he caught up with her and said, "Wait!"

She spun around, ready to defend herself but then she recognised him. She frowned, "What do you want? My shift's over"

"To walk you home," he uttered lamely.

She snickered, "I can take care of myself thanks."

"Come on," he pleaded, advancing forward and grabbing her arm.

"Let go of me," she suddenly snapped viciously, narrowing her eyes and looking up at him. "Just because you're Harry Potter does not mean that you can touch me."

Harry raised an eyebrow and said, "How do you know who I am?"

The stripper rolled her eyes and said "Oh come on. Your scar and hair give you away automatically. Mr Big-Shot-Potter, head of foreign affairs, blah, blah, blah."

"So, you're a witch?" he asked looking down at her releasing her arm from his grasp.

She nodded, "Can I go home now?"

"Can I walk you home?" he asked again hopefully.

She sighed knowing he wouldn't give up, "Okay... fine whatever."

"Where do you live?" he asked as they began to make their way down the long street.

"Just around the corner," she said. They walked in silence for a while. The stripper took some fingerless gloves out of her jacket and put them on stubbornly. Her lips were slightly turning blue from the cold. She was only wearing a thin pair of track pants and her bra underneath her jacket. Harry watched out of the corner of his eye, completely captivated by her very presence.

"What's your name?" Harry finally attempted to make small talk with her as they walked. She looked at him, eyes glowing,

"Evangeline". However the way she said it seemed unconvincing to Harry so he asked,

"What's your real name?"

She bit her lip smiling,

"You're a very smart boy. Most men would accept my name as the one I tell them"

"Well" he asked again, "what is your name?"

Thinking momentarily, as if wondering if she would give him her name, she finally answered,

"Hermione."

"Nice name," he remarked, "very nice indeed"

She couldn't help but smile and say "Thanks".

"Well what about your last name?" Harry decided to test his luck. Pouting devilishly at him she shook her head,

"Nuh uh, the first name was a freebie. For the last name, you're going to have to pay for that"

Harry laughed boisterously; he knew she was teasing him. They turned the corner and Hermione stopped outside a derelict block of flats. The building was old, bricks were chipped, the paint was peeling off and graffiti covered the place. "Well, thanks Harry," she said, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek a little too sweetly.

He grinned and as she was closing the door he called out "Can I see you again?"

She giggled and said, "We'll see."

Just before she closed the door though she called out to Harry almost in a purr,

"Good Night Mr Potter."

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A/N: Pumpkin: Well, what do you all think of this? Yeah, I know, pretty different from what I usually write but I enjoy it! Squash: It's my influence sorry, I usually write really depressing crap! And I know Hermione is really O.O.C but it's so much fun writing her as this tempestuous sex kitten. Hey if Draco can be good then Hermione can be a sex kitten!! Pumpkin: Well, you know the deal ppl! Review and you all get cookie dough! Lol. Love you all heaps and heaps! Squash: And have lots of unicorn dreams!! Pumpkin: wtf? unicorn dreams?

::Pumpkin and Squash::


	3. Please Send Me Someone To Love

Disclaimer: Pumpkin (that's Beaumontrulz) and Squash (that's hids) have lost the disclaimer which says that we don't own Harry Potter. We blame our mums for cleaning our rooms! LoL nah we love our mums!

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**HELLO STRANGER**

Chapter Three: Please Send Me Someone To Love

Harry sat alone in his office, avoiding the office party Christmas party occurring outside. He could hear the drunken hoots and cat calls outside he guessed that the Dean Thomas had stripped again. 'Speaking of stripping' he thought to himself, 'I should visit Hermione again soon'.

_Hermione…_

The very thought of her brought a smile to his face. Three weeks after their fateful meeting and he couldn't stop seeing the dark haired beauty that captivated him so. Hermione was his last thought as he drifted into sleep each night. She was always present in his dreams (usually doing things that Harry would never mentioned out loud) and she was always in his mind when he woke up. He hated to admit it, but he had become quite obsessed with her. He had gone to visit her most nights when he wasn't busy with work. It had become quite a ritual. She would strip for him, he'd pay her and then he'd walk her home. The more time they spent together, the more he hoped that she would grow to like him, perhaps love him.

Lost in his trail in thought he didn't notice Draco drunkenly slam open the door into his office. The relationship Draco and Harry shared was a strange one. By no means were they enemies anymore like they were back at their Hogwarts days. During their Seventh Year it was discovered that Draco had secretly joined the Order after the brutal and unjust murder of his mother Narcissa. After the defeat of Voldemort Draco and Harry became friends realizing that they did have a few things in common. Harry was even one of Draco's groomsmen when he married Ginny Weasley. But they of course had their moments.

"Typical Potter typical," Draco slurred letting himself in "Being the antisocial, boring tight-ass you are you choose to hide out in your office"

Harry rolled his eyes,

"Gee nice to see you to Draco. Oh of by all means come in, make yourself comfortable"

"Don't mind if I do actually." Draco stumbled into a leather chair in front of Harry's desk. "So Potter what are you doing in here? No work tonight Potter, only partying! Didn't you get the letter? Scarhead I demand that you go out there and have a good time! I'm married so I need to live out my bachelor fantasies through you…. On second thought forget I said that. The missus won't be too happy if she finds out I said that"

"You better bloody hope she doesn't, or better yet hope I don't tell her" Harry and Draco faced the door to see Ron Weasley leant up against the doorframe. Draco mentally swore to himself, Ron and Draco did never stop disliking each other. In fact things had gotten increasingly worse once Draco had married Ron's little sister.

"Oh look it's the Weasel," Draco pointed accusingly at Ron, "he's going to go tattle on me!"

"Oh please Draco I have better things to do with my time!"

"Oh like what Weasley, go back to your love life? Ginny told me you don't have one!"

"Shut up Malfoy!" Ron sneered.

"Oh how very mature Weasley" Draco scoffed. While the two men argued immaturely an owl had flown into Harry's window and landed onto his desk. Harry looked at the bird wide eyed in curiosity. He stared at it for a good few seconds until he realized that they're was a small piece of parchment tied to the owl's leg. Untying it and letting the owl fly away he unrolled it and read the contents within,

_**Good day Mr Potter,**_

**_I've decided that you just walking me home every night isn't quite sufficient enough. Perhaps we could have a proper date one time. Yes Mr Potter I am asking out, because you are too chicken to do it yourself! Hope you're coming to watch me tonight. I need my best client there._**

_**Write Back,**_

**_Hermione_**

"Hello what's this?" Draco asked curiously. Before Harry could react Draco snatched the parchment from his hands and read the letter. Draco's eyes widened, "Harry since when did you have a lady friend?" Draco smirked as Harry ripped the parchment from Draco's grasp, "who's Hermione?"

"She's…" Harry struggled to think of the right words to describe her.

"Your girl?" Draco offered.

"Harry you never told me you were seeing someone." Ron sounded hurt that his best friend didn't tell him this important piece of information.

"We're not" Harry admitted, "I haven't quite asked her out yet."

"Well do it!" Draco insisted, "You don't want to end up sad and desperate like this prat here" Draco pointed at Ron.

"I'm not the one who's sleeping on the couch at the moment" Ron snapped back. Draco's face fell,

"SHE TOLD YOU? STUPID FAMILY CONNECTIONS!"

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'_I can't believe I actually went on this stupid blind date,'_ Harry thought to himself as he sat with his shoulders hunched over at the bar the next evening, a half drunk martini in front of him. _'I should've just told Hermione to meet me here so we could scare off the date,' _he thought, downing the last of his martini.

"Another one Mr Potter?" the barman asked, taking the empty glass and pulling out his wand to conjure up another martini.

"Keep 'em coming," Harry said gloomily. _'Stupid Draco has to stick his bloody nose in my love life,' _he thought angrily, sipping the martini. _'He's already married, why would he bother to try and help me?'_

He sighed and looked around the room, to see if his date had arrived yet. He couldn't see anyone by the description Draco had given him so he turned back around and stretched. But a certain person caught his eye as he turned his head back. He looked around again and saw …

Hermione?

'_Get a bloody grip Potter,'_ Harry thought angrily and turning back to his martini. _'Now you're imagining things.'_

But then he heard her voice. "Why, hello Mr Potter. I thought you were busy tonight." He turned around to see her standing there with her hands on her hips, her eyebrow raised very seductively.

"Hermione," Harry whispered, looking up at her.

She frowned and said, "You okay?"

He shrugged and said, "No. My friend sent me here on a blind date and I couldn't get out of it."

Hermione grinned and said, "Well, we'll just have to get you out of it, eh."

"How are you gonna do that?" Harry asked with dismay as he saw his date enter the pub. "Oh shit here she comes."

Hermione smiled and leant down and whispered, "Leave it to me. What's her name? And the name of the guy who set you guys up."

"Pansy. And Draco."

"Okay." Hermione left him and walked across the pub towards the girl. "Pansy?" she asked, reaching her and holding out a hand.

"Yes," Pansy said uncertainly, her nose stuck up in the air.

"Hi. I'm Harri. As in Harriet." When Pansy's eyes widened Hermione laughed to herself and said, "Didn't Draco tell you I was female?"

"No," Pansy said, scowling. "He left that information out."

"Okay. Well, do you want a drink?" Hermione asked gesturing to the bar behind her.

"Uh, no. I think I'll just be going home," Pansy said, before walking quickly away from Hermione and out the door.

Hermione smiled and walked back to Harry.

"You are wonderful," Harry said grinning at her.

"Thankyou," she said, sitting in the vacant chair next to him. "So, you need a date for tonight?"

Harry smiled and said, "Just as long as it's you."

"Good. Barman! Another martini. Same as Mr Potter's here."

"Coming up," the barman said, pulling out another glass and waving his wand.

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**A/N:** Squash: Yah! Harry and Hermione! (Does the happy dance) Pumpkin: We stole the idea in the pub from a beer ad that plays here in Australia. Squash: If you like what you read review some more please! Pumpkin: Not only will we give you cookie dough, we'll also give u a hot fudge sundae! 


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